Baahubali 2: The Conclusion

Kattappa continues his narration of the events leading to Amarendra Baahubali's assassination. Following the victory over the Kalakeyas, Rajmata Sivagami proclaims Amarendra the heir apparent to the throne of Mahishmati, while appointing her biological son, Bhallaladeva, as the kingdom's commander-in-chief. Before his coronation, Sivagami commands Amarendra to tour the kingdom incognito alongside Kattappa to understand the condition of the populace. During their travels, Amarendra witnesses Princess Devasena of the neighboring Kuntala kingdom single-handedly repelling a bandit raid. Smitten by her martial prowess and grace, Amarendra assumes the guise of a simpleton to gain employment at the Kuntala royal palace as a security guard, while Kattappa poses as his uncle. Back in Mahishmati, Bhallaladeva encounters a portrait of Devasena and, coveting her beauty, maliciously requests her hand in marriage from Sivagami. Unaware of Amarendra's romantic entanglement, Sivagami sends an opulent marriage proposal to Kuntala, which includes a condescending demand of submission. Devasena fiercely rejects the proposal. Enraged by her defiance, Sivagami is manipulated by Bhallaladeva's disabled father, Bijjaladeva, into issuing a royal decree commanding Amarendra to arrest Devasena and bring her to Mahishmati as a captive. Concurrently, the Kuntala palace is ambushed by a massive raiding army of Pindari warriors. Dropping his charade, Amarendra coordinates a brilliant defense alongside Devasena and her cousin, Kumara Varma, utilizing synchronized archery to slaughter the invaders. Kattappa subsequently reveals Amarendra's true identity as the Crown Prince of Mahishmati. Amarendra promises to protect Devasena's honor and autonomy, and she agrees to accompany him to the capital as his prospective bride. Upon their arrival in Mahishmati, the mutual misunderstanding is exposed. When Sivagami delivers a severe ultimatum forcing Amarendra to choose between his succession to the throne or his marriage to Devasena, Amarendra chooses Devasena. Consequently, Bhallaladeva is crowned Emperor, while Amarendra is stripped of his birthright and designated as the new commander-in-chief. Even without the crown, Amarendra retains the absolute adoration and loyalty of the populace. When Devasena is pregnant, a deeply threatened Bhallaladeva strips Amarendra of his military rank and appoints a corrupt loyalist, Sethupathi, in his place. Devasena openly opposes the decision, arguing that Amarendra should reclaim his rightful throne. Later, inside a temple, Sethupathi attempts to molest Devasena, prompting her to sever his fingers. Brought before the royal court, Devasena denounces Sivagami's silent complicity with Bhallaladeva's unjust laws. Prompted by his wife's legal defense, Amarendra decapitates Sethupathi on the spot. This act of insubordination results in the immediate exile of Amarendra and Devasena from the royal palace. Despite their displacement, the couple lives happily among the common citizens, who continue to revere Amarendra as their true king. Threatened by his cousin's unyielding popularity, Bhallaladeva conspires with Bijjaladeva to orchestrate a definitive coup. Bijjaladeva manipulates a naive Kumara Varma into believing that Bhallaladeva intends to assassinate Amarendra's family. Kumara Varma infiltrates the royal chambers at night but falls into a trap; Bhallaladeva massacres his own guards, and Bijjaladeva executes Kumara Varma after self-inflicting facial wounds on Bhallaladeva to frame the incident as an assassination attempt ordered by Amarendra. Convinced that her foster son has turned traitor, an enraged Sivagami orders his execution. To prevent a massive civil war among the loyalist legions, she commands Kattappa to carry out the assassination covertly. Bound by his ancestral oath of absolute servitude, a heartbroken Kattappa lures a battle-worn Amarendra into a secluded sanctuary and stabs him from behind. As he bleeds out, a forgiving Amarendra asks Kattappa to protect Sivagami, proclaiming "Jai Mahishmati" before passing away. Bhallaladeva arrives at the scene and gleefully exposes his elaborate treachery to Kattappa. Horrified, Kattappa rushes back to inform Sivagami of her catastrophic error. When Devasena arrives at the palace gates carrying her newborn infant, a guilt-ridden Sivagami publicly exposes Bhallaladeva's crimes to the panicked masses, proclaiming the newborn Mahendra Baahubali as the rightful Emperor of Mahishmati. As Bhallaladeva turns the palace guards against her to seize the child, Sivagami flees toward the river underneath the waterfall, concluding the historical flashback. Bhallaladeva rules for the next twenty-five years as a tyrannical king, keeping Devasena imprisoned in an outdoor cage where she methodically gathers twigs to build a future funeral pyre for him. In the present, Mahendra Baahubali, deeply moved by his father's tragic demise, declares war against the tyrant. Backed by the Amburi tribesmen, the subterranean rebel alliance, and a defecting slave army led by Kattappa, Mahendra launches a calculated siege on the capital. During the assault, Bhallaladeva kills Kuntala's remaining ruler, Jaya Varma, and forcefully takes Devasena with him. Mahendra and Kattappa breach the heavily fortified walls using innovative palm-tree catapult tactics. Mahendra intercepts Bhallaladeva, engaging him in a brutal, earth-shattering brawl. Mahendra ultimately overpowers Bhallaladeva, chaining him to the wooden funeral pyre that Devasena had systematically gathered over 25 years. Despite Bhallaladeva's desperate pleas, Devasena ignites the pyre, burning him alive. Mahendra Baahubali is officially crowned the supreme Emperor of Mahishmati with Avantika as his queen, vowing to restore peace and equity to the realm. The film concludes as Mahendra recites Sivagami's iconic creed, declaring his word to be the absolute law, while the massive, severed golden head of Bhallaladeva's statue is swept away by the river.

Plot from Baahubali 2: The ConclusionCC BY-SA 4.0